Traveler III
- 1,387
- First Name
- Mike
- Last Name
- Johnson
- Member #
-
3587
@Teague - I'm not sure if you can tag all known OB Members in the area?
Some of you may have seen or heard about this yesterday but mostly all of you know the struggle that is the Tennessee Dirt Devil and the problems that some "Jeep Clubs" that I won't mention here cause for the landowners.
There has been a recent update that was posted originally by Scott Pope on the Mule Town Jeepers facebook page and was re posted on the Cumberland Cruisers Facebook Page (where I picked it up). There are efforts being made by those I trust verify this information is correct. It seems pretty drastic to attempt to close a county road off completely.
I don't think it has to be said here that common sense is in play. It seems that the main issue is people driving up and down the creek. I know the road crosses the creek several times but that unfortunately doesn't mean we can use the creek as a road. Please also not that South Tatum Creek is NOT part of the original dirt devil. If you need an updated map/gpx file then please send me a message.
Hopefully there will be some update soon as I drive out there with my family and don't want there to be a problem with landowners (like getting shot at). In the mean time tread carefully!!
Below is the post that was originally made by Scott Pope of Mule Town Jeepers on Facebook.
************From Scott Pope on the MTJ the page, courtesy of yet another page I follow:
"Dirt Devil Update: Complaints by residents and summary of answers provided by County Mayor, three Commissioners, Sheriff, Constable, two TWRA Officers and a Judge. (information was provided by the county road commissioner who was not able to be present at the community meeting)
Complaints: Trespassing on private property, Property damage (cutting cables, fences general land damage), Theft, Littering or dumping.
1) Tatum Creek will be officially closed by the county. It was already closed @ the 3/10th (to the best of my bad memory) of a mile mark(right at the point of the creek crossing @ the Water fall.)
2) Clarification of "Creek and Water way" ownership.
A) Water is a State Resource open to the public meaning floating traffic (Boats, kayaks, inter tubes, etc) cannot be impeded. The creek or river bed is considered as private property shared or owned by the owner or owners of the adjoining shoreline. If the landowner sees fit to press charges he or she can do so if they have proof that physical contact to the creek or river bed has been made by human, animal (horse or mule), vehicles and even fishing equipment such as sinkers or lures.
3) Residents have been encouraged to photograph and video any trespasser in act and have been educated to the processes to follow to carry the captured evidence to the local magistrates whom will determine if the evidence justifies whether a Court Summons for Criminal Trespass will be issued to the offender. There will be locals traveling with cameras at all hours and local law enforcement, TWRA and their constable will be making more patrols as time allows.
4) I requested that if any jeeps with the Mule Town Jeepers Banners are caught in the act doing something you shouldn't on camera that they send me a copy so we can post up the pics or videos.
5) County leadership will be contacting the EPA and other State Level teams for additional information and resources.
6) The residents are taking steps to form a formal "Community Watch Group" as well.
I feel like there was some "healing" with the views of some of the residents towards our club but there is a long road to go. They believed that we were the publishers of the "map", however I explained that we were not. I explained our official stance on the Dirt Devil and also admitted that we were just as guilty as many others until we learned of the damages they were suffering and that thanks to our affiliation to the Tread Lightly Organization via the SFWDA educated our membership. They also seemed very open to us coming into the area to do trash pickups. I plan on discussing this more with the Club Officers." *********
Some of you may have seen or heard about this yesterday but mostly all of you know the struggle that is the Tennessee Dirt Devil and the problems that some "Jeep Clubs" that I won't mention here cause for the landowners.
There has been a recent update that was posted originally by Scott Pope on the Mule Town Jeepers facebook page and was re posted on the Cumberland Cruisers Facebook Page (where I picked it up). There are efforts being made by those I trust verify this information is correct. It seems pretty drastic to attempt to close a county road off completely.
I don't think it has to be said here that common sense is in play. It seems that the main issue is people driving up and down the creek. I know the road crosses the creek several times but that unfortunately doesn't mean we can use the creek as a road. Please also not that South Tatum Creek is NOT part of the original dirt devil. If you need an updated map/gpx file then please send me a message.
Hopefully there will be some update soon as I drive out there with my family and don't want there to be a problem with landowners (like getting shot at). In the mean time tread carefully!!
Below is the post that was originally made by Scott Pope of Mule Town Jeepers on Facebook.
************From Scott Pope on the MTJ the page, courtesy of yet another page I follow:
"Dirt Devil Update: Complaints by residents and summary of answers provided by County Mayor, three Commissioners, Sheriff, Constable, two TWRA Officers and a Judge. (information was provided by the county road commissioner who was not able to be present at the community meeting)
Complaints: Trespassing on private property, Property damage (cutting cables, fences general land damage), Theft, Littering or dumping.
1) Tatum Creek will be officially closed by the county. It was already closed @ the 3/10th (to the best of my bad memory) of a mile mark(right at the point of the creek crossing @ the Water fall.)
2) Clarification of "Creek and Water way" ownership.
A) Water is a State Resource open to the public meaning floating traffic (Boats, kayaks, inter tubes, etc) cannot be impeded. The creek or river bed is considered as private property shared or owned by the owner or owners of the adjoining shoreline. If the landowner sees fit to press charges he or she can do so if they have proof that physical contact to the creek or river bed has been made by human, animal (horse or mule), vehicles and even fishing equipment such as sinkers or lures.
3) Residents have been encouraged to photograph and video any trespasser in act and have been educated to the processes to follow to carry the captured evidence to the local magistrates whom will determine if the evidence justifies whether a Court Summons for Criminal Trespass will be issued to the offender. There will be locals traveling with cameras at all hours and local law enforcement, TWRA and their constable will be making more patrols as time allows.
4) I requested that if any jeeps with the Mule Town Jeepers Banners are caught in the act doing something you shouldn't on camera that they send me a copy so we can post up the pics or videos.
5) County leadership will be contacting the EPA and other State Level teams for additional information and resources.
6) The residents are taking steps to form a formal "Community Watch Group" as well.
I feel like there was some "healing" with the views of some of the residents towards our club but there is a long road to go. They believed that we were the publishers of the "map", however I explained that we were not. I explained our official stance on the Dirt Devil and also admitted that we were just as guilty as many others until we learned of the damages they were suffering and that thanks to our affiliation to the Tread Lightly Organization via the SFWDA educated our membership. They also seemed very open to us coming into the area to do trash pickups. I plan on discussing this more with the Club Officers." *********
